Bodywork



Marh 5, 1 935. M. J. DASTE BODYWORK Filed Sept. 22, 1931 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 BODYWORK Filed Sept. 22, 1931 M. J. DASTE March 5, 19-35.

March 5, 1935. M. J. DASTE- BODYWORK Filed Sept. 22, 1951 .5 Shets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES Y Y Q K Marius Joseph Daste, Courbevoie, France v Application September22, '1931, Serial No. 564,418

7 In France May 20, 19 31 I 3 Claims. I (01. 29 -28) A motor car bodywork having arigid roof'may be considered as consisting of four main parts or elements, which are:

front body pillars or uprights, and-the frieze or top rail of the wind screen;

" (b) The upper and rear element comprising the rigid roof, therounded back, and the back door pillars (or front door pillars if'the bodyr work has two doors) (c) The lower element comprising the bottom sides andthe bottom rigidly connectedto the chassisp.

(d) The intermediate element comprising the intermediate pillars (which donot exist'in certain cases, forinstance when the bodywork has two doors)". w 1 f In my French Patent No. 302,657, filed Oct. 1st, 1930, and the French additional Patents Nos.- 21,309 and 28,589, filed Nov. 1'7, 1930 and Jan. 17, 1931 respectively, I have alreadyproposedto connect these bodywork elements through elastic and flexible joints, or silent blocsyin order to obtain a silent and flexible bodywork. Now, it results from my experiments thatin the case of a chassis in which the transversal deformations are;

greater than the longitudinal deformations, the relative deformations of the'elements that go to form the bodywork, as above mentioned, under the effect of deformations of the chassis, can be groupedas follows: (with referenceto three rectangularaxes, OX in the'plane of the chassis, and at right angles to the axis of the'chassis, OY parallel to the axis of the chassis, and OZ at right angles to the axis of the :chassisi: On

the one hand, a slight translational displacement.

in a direction parallel to axis OY, and on the other hand a'slight rotational displacement about axis OX or an axis parallel to OX, the last mentioned displacement being of a lower order'of magnitude than the first mentioned one.

However an'exception ought to be made for the connection between'elements (a) and '(b), that is to say between the top rail of the wind screen and the front cross rail of the rigid roof, for which the relative deformations comprise, on the one hand, a slighttransversal translation in a direction parallel to axis OX, and on the other hand a slight rotational displacement about axis OZ or an axis parallel to OZ.

The present invention has for its object a flexible and silent bodywork, whose characteristic feature consists in that the elastic joints which serve to connect the above mentioned elements are disposed in such manner as tohmeetthese ova- 'with A1 and S2 are subjected to an abnormal rious requirements. In particular, and contrary towhat was specified in the above mentioned patents, the joints or silent blocs whichconnect the front pillars'or uprights (which are integral with the scuttle) .to the bottom sides, and also. the joints or silent blocks which connect the lower part of the rounded back to said bottom sides, have their axes disposed longitudinally, that is in a direction parallel to OY. V

As for the connection between the wind-screen and the front part of the roof, it has already been disclosed in the first of the above mentioned additional patents, in the embodiments shown in Figs. 8 and!) of that additional patent;

Preferred embodiments of my invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, given merely by way of example, andcin which: A V Fig. l is a diagrammatic view showing a bodywork andachassis, and the three above mentioned axes of coordinates; V

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the deformationsof a rigid bodywork andv of a bodywork according to my invention, in the case of a longitudinal deformation of the chassis;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of 'a bodywork according to my invention; r i

i Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the various elements thatigo to form the bodywork that is shown as a whole iii-Fig.3;

Fig. 5 is a plane view showing how theroof isassembled to the frieze-ortop rail of the windscreen; Y Fig. 6 isan elevational view corresponding to Fig. 5. I I

In Figs.,1 and 2, L1 and L2 are thelongitudinals of the chassis whose axis is. representedby line V1, V2. A is the front'elementv of the bodywork; S is the upper. and rear element, P is the lower element, and. I is the intermediate element. 40

In Fig. 2, the solid lines show the bodywork according to my invention, whensubjected to a deformation, and the-dotted lines show a rigid bodywork subjected to a deformation.

Inthe case .of a rigid bodywork, the bending of the chassis causes-front element Aiand rear element S2, which both remain connected to the chassis, to become inclined. .It results therefrom that the connections between upper element S1 stress, which causes plays, breakings and noises in these-connections. i

Accordingto my invention, front element A and upper and rear element S areconnectedto the chassis'through elastic joints or slides whose axis of translation is parallel to OY and which are capable of oscillating to a limited extent about an axis parallel to OX. It results therefrom that when the chassis is bent, elements A and S are given a translational displacement in a direction parallel to CY and are rotated about axes parallel to OX. Accordingly the connection between elements A and S is not subjected to any stress caused by the bending of the Figs. 3 and 4 show how these principles are carried out.

As shown in the drawings, the bottom sides a1, as, which are connected together through cross rails c are fixed on to the chassis d, for instance by bolting.

The roof e and the rounded back part e1 are assembled by mortice joints according to the usual practice of assembling wooden parts by means of glue; they are covered with metallic sheets.

The scuttle g' and the front body pillars or uprights hr, in are assembled in the. same manner.

The scuttle is supported by the dashboard panel rigidly assembled with the front cross rail 91. For that purpose, reinforcing bracketsi connect said cross rail 91 to the front bodypillars, right hl and left ha.

The rigidity of the dashboard panel is obtained by means of strengthening stay a, hearing upon the chassis between the radiator and the dashboard panel.

Lastly, the body framing includes the intermediate or rear body pillars Z1, Z2.

In order to effect the assembly of these difierent elements of the bodywork, I utilize elastic joints or silentblocs fitted in the following manner:

At the front of the body, the body pillars or uprights hi he, which are integral with the scuttle, are assembled on to the body bottom sides or, a: through joints or silentblocs m1, 111, ma, m, which joints are disposed insuch amanner that the body pillars may have a slight sliding displacement in the horizontal direction (arrows F) and also a slight rotational displacement about the transversal axis, (arrows f In the case of said jointsmi, 121, m2, n: being silentblocs, it will be necessary to so arrange them that the pins are horizontally and longitudinally disposed (in a direction parallel to OY of Fig. 1).

The rear base e2 oithe rounded back or is fixed, through the lower cross piece ca, on to the rear cross element 0 of the body bottom sides a1, a2. The fixation is effected through the intermediary of two elastic joints or silentblocs yr, 21, 3 2, an whose'axes of sliding displacement are parallel tothe axis of the chassis. As in the case of the front pillars, the joints allow translation displacements (arrows F!) or rota tional displacements (arrows f The. body pillars 01 02 of the rounded back door are fixed either to the body bottom sides a1, as, or directly on to the chassis, through joints or silentblocs p1, qr, p2, qz. It will be seen that the joints are of the double type, i. e., comprise two parallel pins side by side, which ensures a perfect support of the pillars whilepermitting them slight displacements in the direction of arrows F1 (Fig. 2) and 11.

The rounded back part c1 and. the roof e. therefore'follow the deformations of the chassis with-- out the rear door pillars or 02- (which are mount.- ed on silentblocs p1, qr, 1);, q: being affected by these deformations.

The intermediate pillars l1, h, which are 10- cated between the front and rear doors, are assembled to the body bottom sides a1, (12, or directly to the chassis, through joints or double silentblocs 151, m, 752, m and to roof e through silentblocs v1, :01 oz, r2. These silentblocs or joints have their axes horizontally and longitudinally disposed, in such a manner that the parts which they connect may have a slight relative translational displacement toward the front or toward the rear (arrows F or a slight oscillatory displacement (arrows f This mounting of the intermediate pillars or uprights makes possible the total utilization of the play left between the doors and the uprights orpillars either for both doors or for one door only.

The roof c has three points of support on the frieze or top rail r of the wind screen. The elastic joints that are utilized for the connection between said pieces have their axes parallel to the axis OX of Figs. 1. and 2, in order to allow a slight relative displacement of the roof with respect to the wind-screen in a direction parallel to said axis (arrows F), Figs. 3, 4, and 5. This displacement is caused by the difference between the transversal bendings of, the chassis at the base of the front element and at the base of the upper and rear element respectively. Despite the fact that these bending displacements are infiinitestimal with respect to the longitudinal bending deformations, that difference corresponds to a substantial displacement of the roof with respect to the wind-screen in a direction parallel-to axis OX, owing to the amplifying lever formed by the roof itself. Detailed views of these connections are given by Figs. 5 and 6. With this arrangement of the silent blocs, the latter also allow a slight oscillatory movement about axis OZ (arrows f, Fig. 5) of the parts that they serve to connect together.

The roof, which consists at its front part of cross elements 11 and 12 connected between them by means of a wooden or a metallic plate 9 is connected to the top rail 1' of the wind-screen through elastic joints or silent blocs s1, 82, disposed in a horizontal plane and at right angles to the axis of the chassis. r It should be noted that the arrangement of thesilent blocs s1, 32 allows the front part of the roof to take a slight oscillatory motion with respect to the frieze or top rail of the wind-screen about the axes of said silent blocs, that is to say about axis OX.

The embodiment which has just been described allows the construction of bodyworks entirely coated with sheet. iron or wood and well adapted to resist without damage and without noisev to the deformations which necessarily takeplace in motor car chassis. frames.

It should be well understood that the elastic joints that are utilized may be chosen among any of the following types, and that some joints may be of one of these types and others of another type, without departing from the principle of my invention:

1. Joint comprising a closed chamber.

2. Joint comprising a prism of elastic material subjected to an. initial compression.

3. J ointcomprising a mass of elastic material positively fixed to the movable parts.

4. Joint comprising a mass of elastic material having a substantial initial deformation in the longitudinal and radial direction (silent bloc p per).

5'. Joint comprising amass of elastic. material having a substantial initial deformation in the radial direction.

Likewise the elastic joint may be fixed to either of the two pieces that are connected together, the assembling iron parts having optionally any shape more especially adapted to the desired mode of assembly. a

While I have disclosed what I deem to be preferred embodiments of my invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of my invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a motor car including a chassis, a bodywork comprising in combination, a rigid roof, a rounded back rigidly secured to said roof, elastic means for connecting the rear part of said rounded back to the rear part of said chassis adapted to allow said parts to slightly slide with respect to each other in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car and also to slightly rotate with respect to each other about a horizontal axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the car, and elastic means for connecting the front part of said rigid roof to said chassis.

2. In a motor car including a chassis, a bodywork comprising in combination, a body bottom rigidly secured to said chassis, a cross bar at the rear part of said bottom, a rigid roof, a rounded back part rigidly secured to said rigid roof, a cross member at the lower part of said rounded back, a plurality of silent blocs having their axes longitudinally and horizontally disposed for connecting said cross member to said cross bar, and elastic means for connecting the front part of,

said rigid roof with the front'part of said body bottom.

3. In a motor car including a chassis, a bodywork comprising in combination, a rigid roof, a. rounded back rigidly secured to said roof, elastic means interposed between the rear part of said rounded back and the rear part of said chassis, said means being deformable both longitudinally in a direction parallel to the axis of the motor car and angularly about a horizontal axis at right angles to said direction, with relatively smaller amplitudes for the angular deformations, and elastic means for connecting the front part of said rigid roof to said chassis. v

MARIUS JOSEPH DASTE. 

